DEBATE OVER STEVE WALTON PRESENTATION

This past week, I received a barrage of emails in response to the
story on Steve Walton's presentation to BCHS students. I was shocked
and disappointed by what they had to say.

One emailer from Calgary said that Walton was misleading young people
on the dangers of using marijuana. He claimed that despite the lies of
someone like Walton, that young people will only be able to learn the
truth through experiencing the drug. "The lies do much more harm than
good," he said.

Another emailer, this one an education director from B.C., said "As
much as I am sure the Family Violence and Drug Coalition directors
appreciate Mr. Steve Walton going into classrooms to talk about the
dangers of drugs, it is important for parents to realize that law
enforcement officers do not belong in the classroom teaching drug
education to our students." This particular emailer also believed that
presentations like these, "propel our students to try harsher and more
serious drugs. All drug education programs must come from a place
taught by professional educators and health care professionals, not
law enforcement officers."

The writer also added, "It is time for parents to ask for quality
trained professional teachers who have received degrees from credible
universities to provide our children with up-to-date, scientific and
evidence based drug education programs." As someone with a degree from
a credible university, who went through a number of drug related
awareness courses, I found Mr. Walton's presentation to be far more
enlightening and educational. And, I might also add, that Walton is
well educated and is trained not only on the provincial level to make
these types of presentations, but has been given national training on
the subject. It is safe to assume that his level of firsthand
experience and training qualifies him above and beyond simply a few
college courses.

What these supporters of marijuana use fail to realize is that the
drug they are licensed to use does not contain the harmful diluting
chemicals used by street drug dealers, who "water down" their product
to get more bang for the buck. Young people will be smoking the
polluted product, not the "safer" products smoked by the very few
licensed medical marijuana users in Canada.

The emailer from B.C. also failed to recognize the importance of
presentations like the one made by Walton that alerts kids to the
dangers surrounding all drug abuse. Walton does not incite fear.
Children need to be alerted to the fact that any addiction, whether it
be to fast food or alcohol, can carry serious health consequences.
Walton's presentation only briefly dealt with marijuana use, but
focused more on dangers represented by methamphetamines, cocaine, and
heroin use, which no one can deny carries harmful consequences.

The letters I received over the past week have only confirmed my
belief that we need to up our efforts to reach teens using whatever
means necessary, whether it be through greater emphasis on teaching or
more presentations like the one made by Walton. It is now apparent
that we are not just battling against drug dealers and peer pressure,
but we are also battling against the apathetic mindset perpetrated by
those who say that drug use, or for example marijuana use, isn't
dangerous. These groups have shown their true colors, and have proven
their concern isn't for protecting our youth but are selfish in
suggesting that Walton's presentation offered more harm than good.